Tips earn first win
Published 10:19 pm Saturday, September 1, 2007
So the Tips earned their first W of the season, defeating Seattle 4-1 on day two of the Everett Silvertips Preseason Tournament. It may have been an exhibition game, but you wouldn’t have known it based on the intensity. These teams really went at one another, with a lot of big hits and three fights breaking out.
Everett fielded a more veteran lineup today than yesterday — Fiala, Dailey, Beach, Gendur, Harper, Burt, Harty, Ellington, Potuer and Reekie all playing. It made a huge difference as the Tips played with much more poise than the rookie-laden lineup did in Friday’s 3-1 loss to Vancouver.
Tyler Eskesen, Jonathan Harty, Jesse Burt and Cameron Abney scored for Everett, and David Reekie made 19 saves in goal. Brenden Silvester scored for Seattle, with Tyler Esau and Jacob De Serres combining to stop 23 of 27 shots.
Some thoughts, notes, etc.
– The veterans pretty much looked like their usual selves. Burt seemed particularly lively and finished off his breakaway chance well, and Graham Potuer threw his weight around to good effect.
– Among the rookies, defenseman Chris de la Lande seemed to do all right, and it was his pinpoint stretch pass that released Burt for his goal. Also, I thought 16-year-old rookie camp invitees Abney and Byron Froese both acquitted themselves well. Whether either has a realistic chance of making the team this season is questionable, but both have made strong cases for being put on Everett’s protected list.
– Kyle Beach had a short game. The talented but tempermental winger got into a scrap with Seattle enforcer Benn Olson just 8:34 into the game, and in the preseason fights come with an automatic game misconduct. Probably not the wisest choice of dance partner for Beach either as Olson is a tough customer, and I’m sure Olson’s going to remember Beach’s final jab as they were being seperated.
– Forwards Markus McCrea and Tyler Parker have returned to their homes in California. Both 15-year-olds impressed during their time in camp and appear to be a part of Everett’s future, having signed WHL education contracts.
